


Hooked

by SneetchesToo



Category: Code Black (TV)
Genre: Comedy, F/M, Family, Flirting, I don’t know what this is, Nonsense, Romance, Sexting, just a mess
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-16
Updated: 2019-10-02
Packaged: 2020-05-12 15:21:25
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 15,972
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19231789
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SneetchesToo/pseuds/SneetchesToo
Summary: No matter how hard she tried, Leanne just couldn’t get Ethan out of her head, which is exactly what he wanted.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> *I don’t know what this is, but once I started, I couldn’t stop.  
> **My inspiration honestly came from a picture that Rob posted a few weeks back.  
> ***Loosely inspired by the song “Hooked” by Dylan Scott.  
> ****These will be short chapters, I don’t know how many or how often I’ll update, but I hope it’s enough to keep you guys ‘hooked’!

It had been an accident really. An error in judgment if she was being honest with herself.

She had never been much into social media, never really caring to stay connected with people she didn't really give a damn about.

But Ariel had created the Instagram account in her name before she could stop her.

And then the teen had started following people without her knowledge.

And one of those people was the one and only Ethan Willis.

She had planned on unfollowing him, she really had.

Especially when the awkwardness of the situation didn't escape her.

She knew it was weird.

She knew it was probably wrong.

She didn't need to know about the personal lives of her co-workers, the good Colonel included.

And yet, the first time one of his pictures popped up on her feed, she couldn't help but let her eyes linger over the image in front of her.

It wasn't that it was a scandalous picture by any means, rather, it was pretty tame.

He was playing golf with some friends, but he was dressed down and wearing shorts and he looked the most relaxed she had ever seen him.

And something about him bear legged and tan and laughing did her in.

If the sight of him in shorts and a polo shirt was messing with her head this badly, she couldn't imagine what would happen if she ever saw him topless.

\--

She had tried to ignore him when she saw him at work the following Monday.

She had tried to act like everything was fine.

Like she hadn't revisited that damn picture of him at the golf course a hundred times over the weekend.

But he had shot her a look from across the nurse's station that said he knew.

He knew exactly what he was doing.

He knew that she was watching him, albeit, from a distance for now.

But he knew.

And it was slowly driving her insane.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> *I really don’t know what this is but I’m glad that you guys are reading it and liking it.

Two days later a picture of Ethan and Ariel enjoying an after school treat appeared on her feed and she felt her heart melt.

She had never imagined that he would play such an important role in the girl's life.

But after the outbreak and after the recovery he had stayed by their sides, fiercely and loyally and he had never backed down.

Even when she had tried to push him away.

Even when Ariel had acted like she didn't need a father.

Ethan had gone on un-phased and he hadn't looked back since.

And now, well now he and the teen were two peas in a pod.

Ariel often remarked that he was her best friend when anyone would ask, and sometimes even when they didn't.

Ethan would always beam from ear to ear at those words and while part of her wanted to be jealous of their bond, she couldn't bring herself to feel that way about the man.

\--

That weekend he posted a picture of himself with a brand new haircut and a sloppy grin and she caught herself staring at the picture for far longer than necessary.

Ariel had caught her staring too and the girl had snuck up behind her and liked the picture before she could stop her.

She didn't know how to "unlike" the image and she had threatened to ground the girl if she didn't make it happen immediately.

The last thing she needed was Ethan knowing that she thought he looked good with his new hair.

In fact, he looked better than good.

He looked downright delicious.

But she certainly didn't want him knowing that.

\--

He must have noticed that she, or rather Ariel, had liked his picture because on Monday he had leaned against her office door and offered her a look.

She had stared back at him, her eyes taking in the sight of him with his slightly shorter hair and extra scruffy beard.

"Too short?" He ran a hand through the brown locks and all she could do was shake her head back and forth.

He must have been waiting for a response because he continued to stand there and eye her softly.

"Do you need anything else Dr. Willis?" She didn't know why she was being so aggressive toward him, he had done nothing wrong after all.

"Nope." He shook his head as he spoke and then he was pushing himself off the door frame and down the hall.

She let out a sigh as she dropped her head into her hands.

She was being ridiculous and she knew it.


	3. Chapter 3

A few days later Ariel snapped a picture of the two of them while they enjoyed an afternoon on the beach.

And then she posted it to that dreaded site without a second thought.

Before she knew it she was getting like after like and Noa even commented something about being jealous.

And then, there was Ethan.

The very first like on the picture and the very first comment.

 _My girls looking beautiful as always_.

It stared up at her like it was trying it's damndest to break her.

Like he knew exactly what he was doing.

He was baiting her.

One hundred and fifty percent.

And she didn't like it one bit.

\--

Three weeks after the whole mess had begun Ethan had posted a picture of himself bare chested and tan.

Leanne had spit out her drink and gasped out an "oh my" just as Jesse had walked into the break room.

He gave her a knowing look and shook his head, but he had thankfully walked away without a word.

When she got home that night Ariel had asked her if she had seen anything interesting that day.

She had lied and told the girl she hadn't.

But she damn well had.

And the last thing she needed was her teenage daughter knowing that she had spent twenty minutes staring at the perfect specimen that was her father.

\--

When she saw Ethan the following day at work she had stopped in her tracks and held her breath.

All she could see all day when she looked at him was his chiseled abs and perfect shoulders and strong, beautiful arms.

By the time she left that night she was fairly certain that the only thing that would get her through was a cold shower.

But Ethan had stopped her just outside the parking garage elevator and he cornered her against the side of her Jeep.

His eyes were dark and hungry, a soft smile on his face as he let his hands fall to her hips.

"Game over." He whispered.

"I wasn't playing a game." She whispered back.

"I was." He leaned down until his lips were mere inches from hers and she took a deep breath. "Took you long enough."

"I didn't know I was playing." She was lying though.

She knew damn well that he was doing these things to get to her.

He had been chasing her for almost four and a half years and she had let him.

She guessed he got tired of the chasing part and decided to finally catch her.

"Bullshit." He nipped at her bottom lip as he pressed her against the driver's side door a little more. "I won't declare either one of us a winner if you agree to finally give me a shot."

She rolled her eyes at him but smiled nonetheless.

"Now why should I do that?" She was the one playing him at this point and dammit if she wasn't going to come out on top for once.

"Because you want me." He nipped at her lip once more, this time grazing his teeth over her lip a little more forcefully. "And I want you."

"Hmm." She would be lying if she said that wasn't true.

She wanted him in all the wrong ways.

But she hadn't been with anyone in six years, and while she wasn't necessarily ashamed of that fact, she wasn't proud of it either.

"Don't lie to yourself," He pressed a kiss to the corner of her mouth as his fingers ran under the hem of her jeans, "or to me."

She closed her eyes and got ready to speak when Ethan's pager went off and she let out a sigh as he pulled back.

She watched as he shook his head and mumbled something under his breath.

And then he was pushing past her and back toward the elevator without another word.


	4. Chapter 4

A whole week went by before he posted anything else.

And the picture of him holding the newborn baby of one of his Army buddies sent her ovaries into overdrive.

She had never imagined seeing something that would make her heart swell so much.

Never in a million years.

And for what reason, she didn't know.

Ariel left a comment on the picture about how cute the baby was and how much she missed Ethan.

And that's when it hit her that Ethan had been gone for the past three days.

How she hadn't noticed his absence until now she didn't know.

But now, well now it was hitting her that he wasn't around and for some reason, it killed her.

\--

That night Ariel had asked her a million and one questions about what she thought about Ethan's picture with the baby.

"You guys would have cute babies together." She whispered as she crossed her legs in front of her.

Leanne shot her a look from where she sat by the headboard of her bed.

"Don't even go there Ariel Jane." She said warningly.

Not that the idea of having a baby with Ethan didn't make her insides tingle in all the wrong ways.

But it was an absurd idea and it would never happen.

No need to get herself all worked up thinking about it.

"I've seen the way you look at him mom." The girl's voice was soft and she laughed as she shrugged her shoulders. "You wanna jump his bones don't you?"

"Ariel Jane!" She gasped at the teens statement and she couldn't believe those words had left her mouth. "Do not say things like that about your father!"

"Okay mom." Ariel tolled her eyes before pushing herself up and off the bed with a sigh. "Deny yourself your basic human desires."

She gaped at the words that had left her daughter's mouth as she watched the teen sulk down the hall toward her own room.

She knew the girl was right though.

She wanted Ethan more than she wanted to admit.

And she was so much in denial that she couldn't see daylight.

\--

That night Ethan had sent her a text asking if she was okay.

She had refused to answer him for fear of falling into some kind of trap.

A little while later he told her that Ariel was worried about her.

That he was worried about her.

Apparently she had been acting strange toward him and he was bothered by it.

Again, she decided not to answer.

Just like she decided not to answer any of the fifteen texts that he sent her that night.

She knew it was wrong, but dammit if she wasn't scared of falling for him even more than she already had.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> *These two, I swear.

Two days later he cornered her just outside of her office, his hands finding her hips as he gently pushed her through the door to the small space.

"Why didn't you text me back last night?" He whispered as he kept his grip on her hips.

"I was asleep." She knew it was a lie and lying was wrong but she didn't know what else to say.

"Bullshit." He snapped. "Ariel told me you were up until 1:00am watching the Real Housewives of something or other."

"I was not!" She was appalled that Ariel would imply that she watched one of those ridiculous shows.

"Lying to me will get you nowhere." He dropped his head to her neck and nipped at the exposed skin.

She couldn't help but let out a growl as she brought her hands to his chest and shoved him backward.

"Don't you have work to do, Doctor?" She didn't know why she was pretending that she didn't enjoy the feeling of his lips on her skin.

"I'm on my break." He nipped at her collarbone this time and she did a double take.

When had he had time to push her shirt to the side?

"Oh." That was all she was capable of saying before letting out a moan as he let a hand wander under the hem of her shirt.

His fingers were cold, yet steady, and she held her breath when he stopped them just below her bra.

"Why didn't you answer my texts last night?" He asked again, his fingers tickling her sides gently.

"I didn't want too." She huffed out, her hands pushing at his chest once more.

He really needed to take a step back and give her some space or she might do something she regretted.

"Why not?" She knew that he knew why.

She was into him and it was bad.

She supposed Ariel was right.

She wasn't fooling anyone.

"Because." She really should just stop with the games.

Ethan wasn't stupid.

He knew damn well what was going on.

"Because you're falling for me?" He ran his fingers down her rib cage gently, his lips pressing soft kisses against her shoulder and neck as he spoke.

"No." Admitting that she was falling for him would be a cardinal sin if there ever was one.

"Lies." He had just run a finger along the underwire of her bra when her pager went off.

He let out a growl but continued kissing her neck nonetheless.

"I have to go." She tried pushing him away once again but it didn't work.

"Ignore them." He huffed out against her skin.

"I can't." This time she was successful as she shoved him away from her with a grunt.

"Ugh." He wiped his hands over his face with a sigh, his eyes softening as he looked up at her.

And then she was pushing past him and out the door, doing her best to fix her scrub top to cover the mark she was certain he had left on her shoulder.

The last thing she needed was Jesse catching sight of that.

\--

That night Ethan texted her and told her it wasn't fair that they kept interrupted.

He said he had plans for her.

That he couldn't stop thinking about her.

She had rolled her eyes and told him that he needed to stop getting fresh at work if he wanted to stop getting interrupted.

'Does that mean I can come over and ravage you at home?' She did a double take at his words.

He was certainly not ravaging any part of her.

Not now.

Not ever.

'No.' That's all she was capable of typing back because all of a sudden her head was filled with images of Ethan with his hands all over her body.

'Then I'll stick to work.' She choked on the breath of air she had just taken.

He didn't sound like he had any plans to stop his mischief making.

'Ethan...' She hoped that he could tell that she was frustrated with him.

'Imagine all the fun we could have.' She closed her eyes as the idea of them doing naughty things sank in.

When she opened them back up the room was spinning.

He really shouldn't have this kind of affect on her.

'I'd rather not.' She was lying, flat out, no way around it.

She wanted to do so many naughty things with him it wasn't even funny.

'Why won't you just admit that you want me?' She let out a growl at his question.

'What would you do if I did?' She regretted sending the text immediately and she bit her lip as she waited for him to reply.

'I'd come over and have my way with you.' She let out a cough at his words.

She didn't have it in her to have this conversation right now.

'Excuse you?!' Not that she would mind him having his way with her.

'I'd kill to be able to run my hands all over your body right now. Down your bare skin, through your hair, over that fine butt of yours.' She could feel the blush covering her cheeks and she swallowed.

He was going to make her mind and body do things that it shouldn't be doing.

'Stop.' He was messing with her head and her heart and so many other parts of her body.

'Am I making you all hot and bothered?' She shook her head as she took as few deep breaths.

She didn't answer him though, instead she tossed her phone across the bed and let out a growl.

She couldn't do this, not right now, not after everything.

So she slid down in the bed and pulled the covers over her head and drifted off to sleep, doing her best not to dream about all the things Ethan was going to inevitably do to her if her ever got his hands on her.


	6. Chapter 6

A few days later she had almost had enough of Ethan's crazy texts.

He refused to leave her alone, constantly bothering her and telling her about all the things he wanted to do to her body.

She didn't respond to him, mostly, but deep down inside she was starting to get really excited about the prospect of ever being physical with him.

But she would never admit that anyone.

Ever.

Ariel bothered her constantly too, wanting to know if they were talking and what they were talking about.

Finally she gave in and told the girl that they had been communicating.

But the conversation didn't exactly go as planned.

"Your dad and I have been talking some honey." She wasn't sure what Ariel's reaction would be to that statement but she wanted the girl to know that they were at least, trying.

“Talking how?” The teen seemed skeptical and she couldn't blame her.

Her and Ethan's relationship was anything but normal and the teen was the first to always point that out.

“We’ve just, been... talking...” She supposed they had been doing more than talking, but what the teen didn't know wouldn't hurt her.

“Oh God!" The girl's eyes got wide as she stared back at her. "You two aren’t sexting are you?”

“You know, Jesse asked the same thing." She had heard the term before but she wasn't entirely sure what it meant. "What is sexting anyway?”

“You don’t know what sexting is?!” The teen gasped out.

Her cheeks turned bright red as she closed her eyes.

Leanne guessed that it wasn't something Ariel wanted to talk to her about.

“Enlighten me dear.” But now she was curious as to why both she and Jesse had brought it up in regards to her and Ethan.

“It’s... God..." Ariel took a deep breath before opening her eyes once again. "It's something that parents shouldn’t be doing with each other!”

"What's so bad about it?" She really didn't understand why the girl was so bothered by the idea. "I thought you wanted us to talk."

"Yes but sexting is..." She took another deep breath before shaking her head. "It's when you text dirty stuff back and forth to each other. You know... sex stuff? Hence, why it's called sexting."

"Oh..." Well now she certainly couldn't admit to Ariel that they were in fact doing that.

"You are aren't you?" The look of disgust on her face made Leanne break out into a full blown laugh. "That's disgusting!"

Leanne just chuckled as the girl made a face and buried her head into the pillow.

"You're not sending him pictures are you?!" Leanne choked on the sip of water she had just taken.

"Pictures of what?" She wasn't quite sure where the teen was going with this but she could only imagine that it wasn't good.

"Part of sexting is sending naked pictures..." Ariel's face was redder than red and Leanne rubbed at her eyes at the thought.

"No!" She barked back. "I do not send him pictures! That's... absurd!"

"Well... I'm just making sure." The teen picked her head up and turned to face the older woman as she spoke. "He doesn't send you pictures does he?"

Leanne shook her head as she closed her eyes.

This was most certainly not a conversation she should be having with her teenage daughter.

Especially not when it involved her own father.

"No, Ariel, your father doesn't send me naked pictures of himself." And for that she was thankful.

She couldn't imagine what she would do if he did.

She was already obsessed with enough as it was and they hadn't done a thing with each other.

"Thank God." She dropped her head back to the pillow and let out a sigh. "Can we never have a talk like this again?"

Leanne couldn't help but laugh.

"I was thinking the exact same thing." She reached out and patted the girl's shoulder, offering a smile as she stared back at her.

"Can we go get dinner now?" The girl asked softly.

"Absolutely." Leanne had forgotten how hungry she was and now that the teen had mentioned food her stomach was reminded of how empty it was.

And with that Ariel pushed herself up and out of the bed and down the hall to get ready.

Leanne contemplated texting Ethan and asking him to join them.

But she wasn't sure how well that would go over after she found out what they had been doing had a name.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> *I can’t even with these two. Slight smut warning, but honestly it’s just a bunch of making out ;)

A few days later Ethan cornered her in the ambulance bay, his eyes dark and mysterious as he backed her into a hidden corner just outside the double doors.

"Why did Ariel tell me to stop, and I quote, 'sexting her mother and ask her out on a real date'?" His hands were just tight enough against her hips to keep in her place and she was both turned on and annoyed by his actions.

"Because she asked me, not so innocently might I add, if we were sexting each other." She really didn't want Ethan to know that their sixteen year old was comfortable with such a topic, but she figured he would find out eventually.

"And how does she know what sexting is?" He dragged his teeth over her jugular and she let out a moan that was anything but quiet.

"She's sixteen." She was barely able to get the words out because Ethan's fingers were currently drawing circles right above her the top of her underwear.

"Too young." He pressed a kiss against what was surely going to be a red mark.

"She's smart Ethan." The smartest sixteen year old she'd ever known.

And she was wise beyond her years in many other ways too.

"Too smart for her own damn good." He pulled back and dropped his forehead against hers with a sigh.

"The apple didn't fall far from the proverbial tree there." She whispered softly as he stopped the movement of his fingers and let out a sigh.

"If only she was ours, hmm?" She felt her heart skip a beat at the thought.

"She's ours in the only way it matters." It was true though.

Ariel saw them as mom and dad and they saw her as their daughter.

They loved her, without abandoned and without restraint and they wouldn't trade her for anything in the world.

"You killed the mood." He whispered as he pulled back a little and brushed the hair from her eyes.

"Sorry." That really wasn't her intention though, she just couldn't help herself when it came to talking about the girl.

"It's okay." He leaned forward and pressed a kiss to her nose. "I gotta get back to work anyway."

She nodded her head as she closed her eyes.

She really just wanted to stay here in his arms and never leave.

"Have dinner with us tonight?" She was already planning a big feast for Ariel's last day of school and she hoped that Ethan would join them in celebrating.

"6:00pm okay?" He pressed his lips to her forehead with a soft sigh.

"Yes sir." She couldn't wait to have him all to herself tonight.

She was pretty certain the teen would disappear after dinner if she knew that Ethan would be around.

"I'll see you then." And with that he pecked her on the lips quickly before pushing away from her fully and heading inside.

She let out a sigh as she watched him go.

It wasn't the first time he had placed his lips against hers, but it was never for more than a split second.

But every time he did it it made her heart swell even more.

\--

At a little before 4:00pm her phone dinged from its spot on the kitchen counter and she eyed it suspiciously.

She really hoped it wasn't Ethan cancelling on their dinner plans.

She had already told Ariel that he would be at the house waiting for her when she got home from soccer and she had been over the moon.

_What are the chances of you letting me spend the night?_ She did a double take at the words on her phone screen.

Spend the night?

That was out of the question.

_Slim to none._ She typed back.

She knew she should give him a chance, but dammit she was trying so hard to resist.

All he sent back was a sad face and she let out a sigh.

It's not that she didn't want to spend the night tangled up with him beneath the sheets, because she did.

She really, really did.

But she also wanted to keep her distance and protect her heart.

She got ready to text him back when he sent another message and she felt a shiver run down her spine.

_We'll talk about it tonight then._ She knew that that was dangerous.

If he were to get his hands on her, she'd never be able to say 'no'.

\--

Ethan arrived at exactly 6:00pm, a six pack of beer in one hand, a bouquet of flowers in the other, and the softest smile she'd ever seen on his face.

"These are for you." He whispered as he handed the flowers to her.

If she was being honest, she would've sworn that his cheeks had a slight red tint to them as he spoke.

"Thank you." She wondered if he was trying to buy his way into spending the night.

But with the way his eyes sparkled in the setting sun and the smile that was on his lips, he just might win her over once and for all.

\--

Ariel had gotten home a little after Ethan had arrived and they had enjoyed a nice dinner together.

The teen had then done exactly what Leanne had suspected she would do and she vanished upstairs to do "homework".

Leanne knew better though.

She knew the girl just wanted to leave her parents alone.

She was sneaky, and Leanne hated it.

"Alone at last." Ethan whispered as he eyed her from across the kitchen.

She prayed that he would stay over there and she would stay over here and all would be right with the world.

She knew better though.

She knew he would be next to her in a hot second and she felt her heart racing as he started toward her.

"I see that." She whispered back.

He stopped directly in front of her, a sloppy grin on his face as he eyed her softly.

"Wanna make out?" He sounded like a teenager and she couldn't help but laugh.

She guessed that was the wrong decision though because he gave her a hurt look as he raised an eyebrow.

"Or not..." He shrugged his shoulders as he started to walk away from her and she felt horrible for making him feel that way.

Reaching out, she grabbed his hand tightly in hers and pulled him back toward her, smiling when he stopped his face mere inches from hers.

"I didn't mean to laugh." She whispered, her fingers twining with his as she smiled at him softly. "You just sounded like a horny teenager trying to get laid."

She busted out laughing again and he let out a small laugh before leaning in toward her and pressing his forehead against hers.

This was becoming a thing for them and she wasn't sure how it made her feel.

"Well I am a man, maybe a slightly horny one." She gasped at his words as his hands fell to her hips, pulling her flush against him. "And I'm definitely hoping to get laid."

"Hoping is a strong word pal..." She knew damn well she wanted him, especially with the way his fingers were dancing over her bare skin and his breath was soft against her cheek.

"Come on..." She knew damn well he would never push her over the edge and make her do something she didn't want.

But she also knew that he could be awfully damn convincing when he wanted to be.

"Ethan..." His name came out as more of a whimper than she intended, but he had buried his face in the crook of her neck and his tongue was pressed against a particular sensitive spot that she didn't know she had.

"Can we please move this somewhere more comfortable?" He whispered his question as he let his fingers run under the hem of t-shirt and up toward her bra.

"But..." She didn't get to finish her sentence because he let a finger slide under the underwire of her bra, grazing over the bottom of her left breast, and she felt her whole world stop.

It had been almost a decade since someone had touched her like that.

"Couch?" He asked softly, his head rising up so that their eyes locked.

"Yes please." And there it was.

Hook, line, and sinker.

He had reeled her in and she was officially putty in his hands.

And for once, she didn't much care.

\--

As soon as the words had left her mouth Ethan had kissed her like there was no tomorrow, his free hand fisting in her hair as he pushed her back against the counter even more.

And then the next thing she knew he was hoisting her up with his hands on her butt as she wrapped her legs around his waist tightly.

She didn't even know what was happening, but she knew it felt good to finally have his lips against hers.

He had carried her to the couch with ease, his lips never leaving hers as he blindly guiding himself toward the den.

She knew it was risky and dangerous and the exact opposite of who she was before Ethan, but right now, there was a rush of excitement flowing through her veins and she couldn't get enough.

They practically fell to the couch, Ethan's arm reaching out to catch himself against the cushion before he crushed her.

She laughed softly as he let out a groan, his lips falling from hers as he dropped his head to her shoulder.

"Not funny." He mumbled.

"A little funny." She whispered back.

She dared to let her fingers dip below his hairline, ghosting over the nape of his neck.

He let a shiver run through his body as he pressed a kiss to her neck and she couldn't help but smile knowing that she had that effect on him.

"Too many clothes." He muttered as he shoved at the hem of her shirt.

"We are not exposing ourselves on the couch Ethan." The last thing they needed was Ariel walking in on them while they were naked.

Ethan didn't seem to care though because the next thing she knew he was pulling her t-shirt upward and toward her head.

She wanted to stop him.

She wanted to tell him to wait.

She wanted to push him away and remind him of how inappropriate this was.

But then his lips were pressed against the top of her left breast as he dragged her shirt over her head and all coherent thought went out the window.

"Beautiful." He whispered against the exposed skin of her chest.

She couldn't help herself from shaking her head 'no'.

"Yes." He pulled back as he eyed her softly. "Beautiful."

She didn't want to lock eyes with his but it happened and she felt a wave of tears hit her as she saw the genuine love in his eyes.

It had been forever since anyone had looked at her like that.

Long before her accident in fact.

"Ethan..." She didn't know what she wanted to say but she wanted to say something.

"Don't go there." He pressed his lips to hers, softly at first, and then a little harder as he let his hand wander over her stomach and up toward her chest.

She knew exactly what he meant and why he said it so she closed her eyes briefly and took a deep breath before opening them back up and offering him a smile.

"Thank you." She felt silly thanking him, but she wanted him to know that this was okay and that she was okay and that he was right where he belonged.

"You're welcome." He whispered before kissing her once more. "Now, stop talking."

He winked at her as his lips crashed back against hers as she felt every fiber of her being ignite.

If this was what being loved by Ethan felt like, she never wanted to go back.


	8. Chapter 8

They had continued their make out session for another fifteen minutes before she got up the courage to remove his shirt.

But once her hands felt the toned abs and flat planes of his back she was hooked.

And then the material of his Dodgers shirt had hit the floor of the den and she had dragged her nails lightly over the exposed skin.

Ethan had let out a moan that sent a wave of pleasure all the way to her core.

She wanted to speak up and say something, but the words got lost inside her throat as he crashed his lips back against hers.

He had just let his fingers dip below the waistband of her jeans when she heard movement upstairs and she froze.

"Stop." She whispered against his lips as she clutched his shoulders tightly.

"What?" He dropped his head to her neck as he cupped the back of her head softly.

"Stop." She hissed out.

She heard a door open and shut upstairs and she held her breath.

She was waiting for the teen to descend the stairs but she never did.

Instead she heard the shower in the hall bathroom cut on and she let out the breath she had been holding.

"Everything okay?" Ethan's voice was soft as he reached up and pushed her bra strap aside.

"Yeah." She whispered, her hands releasing his shoulders as she let her fingers wander down his back. "I thought I heard Ariel."

"I'm sure she knows better than to come down here." He offered her a wink as he brushed the hair out of her eyes.

"Ass." She grumbled out as she pinched his waist gently.

"Maybe." He nipped at her bottom lip before nuzzling his face against her neck.

"We should stop." Not that she wanted too, but she figured that was safer than what was going on right now.

"Don't wanna." He mumbled.

He moved his hand to push her bra strap the rest of the way down, his lips following the movement of the black material as he pressed kisses against the bare skin.

"But Ariel..." The last thing she needed or wanted was their sixteen year old catching them making out like a bunch of teenagers.

"Hmmm." He had found a sweet spot on her chest, just below her left collar bone and she guessed that the arching of her back caused him to attack the spot even more.

"Ethan..." She growled out his name as she tried to push him back but then his fingers were grazing along the underside of her left breast and she lost all ability to think straight.

And Ariel be damned at this point, Ethan was making her feel things she hadn't felt in over a decade and that was all she cared about right now.

\--

Thirty minutes later though their whole world came to a crashing halt when they heard a gasp from the kitchen followed by an 'oh my God'.

"Ariel!" She shouted as she shoved Ethan off of her with a huff.

"Jesus kid, don't you knock?!" Ethan was breathing heavier than she'd ever seen before and his face was flushed, a good indicator that she had gotten him good and worked up.

"There's no door!" She shouted back, her hands going over her eyes. "You're in the den!"

Ethan let out an 'oh' before shaking his head and sinking back against the couch cushions.

"Please put your shirt back on." She sounded almost terrified and Leanne watched as Ethan grabbed his t-shirt quickly and pulled it over his head with a huff.

"Ariel, honey, we can explain..." They really couldn't though.

They had just been busted making out by their teenage daughter.

On the couch, shirtless, like a bunch of horny high schoolers.

"No! No!" The teen shook her head back and forth, her hand still covering her eyes as she shouted. "Stop! Just... ugh!"

And then she stormed off in the direction she had come from, a giant sigh leaving her lips as she went.

"I should talk to her." Ethan's voice was soft as he straightened his t-shirt out and stood from his place on the couch.

"You?!" She didn't know why he thought it would be a good idea for him to talk to her. "That sounds like a horrible idea!"

"Gee thanks." He ran a hand through his hair as his eyes settled on hers, dark and lustful and full of need.

And that's when she realized she hadn't put her shirt back on yet and she ducked her head downward as she attempted to search for the garment.

"I just meant that might be awkward." She pulled her shirt over her head in one quick motion, her hands shaking as she took a deep breath.

"Fine." He threw his hands in the air and headed toward the door, an exasperated sigh leaving his lips as he went.

She wanted to go after him when she heard the door slam shut behind him, but she figured it was for the best.

Instead, she ran her fingers through her hair and took a deep breath before heading upstairs toward the teen's room.

She knew this was a conversation they needed to have sooner, rather than later.

Because no matter how awkward it might have been for them, she knew it was way more awkward for the girl.

\--

Leanne had tried tirelessly for almost an hour to get Ariel to come out of her room and talk to her.

But the teen hadn't answered her knocks or her texts or calls.

So instead she had gone and taken a cold shower and pulled on her PJs with a groan.

And then she collapsed into bed, her eyes closing almost instantly as she felt her body give in to the tension of the day.

About an hour into her peaceful slumber she was awoken to the sound of thunder, and then, the sound of her bedroom door opening.

"Mom?" Ariel whispered into the dark, her body frozen in the doorway to the master bedroom.

"Yeah baby?" She didn't care how old the girl was, if she needed her in the middle of the night, she was there for her, no matter what.

"Is dad still here?" She could heat a hint of fear in the girl's voice and it broke her heart.

She knew the girl wanted them together for more reasons than one.

Having two parents under the same roof was not a luxury she had had since she was three and she knew it had to be hard having them apart, especially when she was vulnerable.

"No." Leanne hated that she had chased Ethan off, it certainly hadn't been her intention.

"Sorry I interrupted you guys earlier." She whispered as she made her way into the room slowly.

Leanne patted the spot beside her in the bed and the girl didn't hesitate to climb in, falling to her stomach in the empty space.

"It's okay honey." It wasn't okay in the grand scheme of things, but she figured it was what it was at this point. "We should have had more consideration for you."

In reality, she had warned Ethan that they were going to get caught, but he hadn't wanted to listen to it.

"What does this mean exactly?" Her voice was soft as she asked the question Leanne had been dreading.

She didn't even know what this meant.

Did making out on the couch like a bunch of teenagers mean they were all of a sudden a couple?

Did it mean that they were official?

Or was she simply a notch on Ethan's proverbial bedpost?

"Mom..." The teen reached over and poked her gently in the side and she shook her head as she tried to refocus on the conversation at hand.

"Sorry honey." She hadn't meant to get lost in her head like that. "I'm not sure what's going on with us."

But she needed to know and she needed to know now.

Because now, more than ever, she wanted it to mean something.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> *Edging on mature, you’ve been warned.

The next morning Leanne woke up to no power and a teenage girl snuggled into her side.

She let out a sigh as she checked her phone, a message from Ethan the only thing waiting for her.

Holding her breath, she opened the text up and read it slowly.

'Sorry for last night. I wasn't in a good place and I shouldn't have flipped out about things. I hope you and Ariel are okay after that nasty storm. I got called in to work at 4:00am, so I'm heading there now. I'll see you this afternoon but feel free to call or text if you need anything.'

She reread the text three times before closing it and flopping back against the pillows with a huff.

"Mom?" Ariel's voice was soft as she lifted her head to eye her through her blonde bangs.

"Yeah?" She just wanted to go back to sleep and forget about the world at this point.

"Can we just stay in bed today?" It's as if the girl was reading her mind.

"Absolutely love." And with the way her mind was reeling, she was willing to indulge the girl in playing hooky just this once.

"Really?" She could see the confusion on the girl's face and she understood completely.

Normally she was the picture of perfect attendance and following the rules, but today, she was tired and drained and emotional and she just wanted to rest.

And if she was going to play hooky, she might as well let Ariel do so too.

"Absolutely." She turned to face the girl and offered her a smile.

"We don't have any power." Leanne had forgotten that little fact and she let out a sigh.

"Maybe your father does." And with that she grabbed her phone from beside her and pressed the 'call' button next to Ethan's name.

Ariel raised an eyebrow at her but she just smiled back.

She wasn't going to let one little disagreement ruin everything they had worked so hard to build.

"Hi love." Ethan's voice was soft on the other end of the phone and she closed her eyes as she let the sound of his voice settle over her.

"Hi." She shouldn't be so scared to talk to him and yet, here they were.

"What's up?" She could hear him moving around on the other end of the line and she hoped she hadn't caught him when he was busy.

"Do you have power at your house?" She prayed he said 'yes' so that they could get some relief.

It may have only been April, but it was still supposed to be almost 80 that day.

"Yeah why?" She heard Jesse's voice come over the line and she let out a sigh. "You guys lose yours?"

"Yeah." Her voice was quiet and she watched as Ariel rolled her eyes at her timidness. "We were gonna play hooky today..."

She knew that Ethan would be shocked, it wasn't like her to do things like that, especially not with Ariel involved.

"You guys can crash at my place." The sound of his reply caused chills to run down her spine. "I'll sneak out of here around tenish when Mario gets in."

"Okay." She smiled at the thought of him being there with them, especially knowing that he was going to sneak away just for them. "We'll be waiting for you."

"Best news I've heard all day." And then she heard Campbell's voice yelling something on the other end and Ethan mumbled a 'goodbye' before hanging up quickly.

"Go pack a bag." Leanne turned to the teen who eyed her suspiciously. "We're gonna stay at your dads."

Ariel beamed back at her before pressing a kiss to her cheek and then jumping out of bed.

She heard her humming to herself as she headed toward her room and Leanne couldn't help but smile.

If this was all it would take to fix them, she was more than willing to give in.

\--

At a little after 10:00am that morning Leanne exited the shower at Ethan's just as the man pushed his way into the master bedroom.

He raised an eyebrow at her, a small smirk on his face as he closed the door behind him.

"Well that's certainly not the greeting I was expecting..." He said softly as he stopped in his tracks. "But I'll take it."

"Ass." She growled out, pulling the towel tighter around her body as she eyed him up and down.

He looked downright exhausted and she wondered if he had actually gotten any sleep before being called into work early.

"Honestly," He pulled his shirt over his head without a second thought, tossing it toward the hamper by the bathroom door, "you can greet me in nothing but a towel anytime you want."

He winked at her and she just shook her head.

He was ridiculous and she loved him and that was that.

"Ariel's downstairs." She whispered as she gripped the edge of the towel tighter.

"I told her to mind her own damn business this time." She rolled her eyes at him.

She knew that he loved that girl more than anything in this world, but he was the first one to tell her when to get her shit together.

"Ethan..." She watched as he undid his belt buckle, pulling it through the loops of his jeans before tossing it to his left.

He shouldn't be doing this.

They shouldn't be doing this.

No matter how badly she wanted it, they should really take things slow.

"Leanne..." He dragged out her name as he undid the button on his pants and then dragged the zipper down.

"What are you doing?" She knew exactly what he was doing, he was teasing her, messing with her, getting in her head.

And it was working.

"Taking my clothes off." He kicked his jeans across the floor before heading toward her with a heat in his eyes that was driving her crazy.

"Why?" She whispered her question as she backed away from him.

"So we can shower." He whispered his response and she felt her back hit the wall just as he stopped in front of her.

"I... I've already showered." She had reveled in the feel of the hot water on her skin and she doubted there was any left for him.

"Well then you can take another shower." He reached out and ran his hands along her arms, stopping them when they got to her hands.

The hands that were currently holding the towel in place over her body.

The towel that was covering her naked body.

"I don't need another shower." She closed her eyes as he bent down and pressed his lips to her exposed shoulder.

"Then let's do something to get dirty." He bit down gently just above her collar bone and she let go of the towel accidentally.

She held her breath as it fell to the floor and she heard Ethan chuckle against her skin.

"Well now I'm overdressed." He whispered as he let his hands fall to her now bare hips.

"We can't." She wanted too.

She really, really wanted too.

But they couldn't.

Not yet.

Not like this.

He hadn't even taken her on a real date yet.

"We don't have to do anything." He leaned in and pressed his lips against hers softly as his fingers wandered below her right hip and traced over her lower abdomen.

"But..." She lost all train of thought as he slowly pulled her away from the wall and started backing her into the bathroom, shutting the door behind them as his lips continued to dance over hers.

"Shhh." He silenced her softly as he stopped them just outside the shower, his body pulling away from hers so that he could turn the water on.

And the next thing she knew he was losing his boxers and pulling her into the shower with him, his lips pressed against her neck the entire time.

\--

They had showered for almost 30 minutes and Ethan had kept his promise about not going any farther than she wanted.

Which, surprisingly, had been farther than she had originally planned.

So their makeout session had turned into him bringing her over the edge with his fingers, not once, but twice.

And then he was kissing her back down out of her high and telling her there was more where that came from.

She had offered him a crooked smile before nuzzling her face against his neck, her fingers tangling in his damp hair as she closed her eyes.

If he could make her feel that good after just a little foreplay, she couldn't imagine what would happen when they actually had sex.


	10. Chapter 10

When the water had officially run too cold for them to handle they had both stumbled from the shower, toweling off slowly, almost shyly, before Ethan whispered that he'd give her some privacy now.

She heard him exit the bedroom a minute later and she let out a sigh.

He was more of a gentlemen than she deserved.

After drying the rest of the way off she pulled her underwear on, followed by her leggings, and lastly, because she was feeling brave, she grabbed one of Ethan's shirts from the pile at the foot of the bed and pulled it over her head.

She was fairly certain it was clean, and yet, it still smelled so much like him that it made her dizzy.

And that's when it hit her, she hadn't eaten any breakfast, and she blamed her lightheadedness on that.

It wasn't Ethan's scent surrounding her in every way, shape, and form.

Nope.

Definitely not that.

\--

Ethan was dumping a pile of scrambled eggs onto a plate in front of Ariel when she came down the stairs and Leanne couldn't help but smile at the domestic scene in front of her.

She was so in love with this little family of hers that she couldn't handle it.

"Coffee just finished." Ethan said softly as he grabbed another plate and started dishing out her food.

She didn't know how he knew she was there, it was almost like he had a sixth sense about her presence in a room.

"Thanks." She shot a look at the teen but the girl just giggled before digging into her food.

They ate breakfast in a comfortable silence that Ariel broke with a question that had Ethan spitting out his coffee and Leanne choking on her toast.

"So now that you two have had sex can we just all live together?" The question came out like it was the most natural thing in the world.

Like it wasn't embarrassing and ridiculous and over the top.

"Excuse me?" Ethan broke the silence after he calmed down his breathing and Leanne watched as he gave the teen a look.

"You two did have sex earlier right?" She felt her face turn bright red as she turned away from the girl, her heart racing in her chest as she closed her eyes.

"That's none of your business Angel." Ethan didn't sound the least bit angry like she expected and she heard the teen let out a sigh.

"Okay." She sounded defeated and Leanne hated that they had made this into something they couldn't talk about, no matter how weird it might be.

"Look, kid, what happens between your mother and I is our business. Not yours, not Jesse's, ours." Ethan took a deep breath as he shifted his gaze toward her and Leanne gave him a reassuring smile.

"Sorry." She hung her head and let out a sigh.

"There's nothing to be sorry for." Leanne reached over and took the girl's hand in hers. "There are just same things that we will not discuss with you, and our sex life is one of them."

The look on Ariel's face made her realize what she had just said and she swallowed as Ethan chuckled.

"So you did have sex?!" She closed her eyes as Ethan completely lost his composure and doubled over in his chair, laughing until there were tears in his eyes.

"I'm done." Leanne threw her hands in the air and stood from her chair, only to be stopped by Ethan's hands on her waist, pulling her into his lap with a huff.

"Ariel Jane..." Ethan's tone was full of warning but the teen just stared him down, her arms crossing over her chest as she waited for an answer to her question.

"No." Leanne said pointedly. "We did not have sex."

And that wasn't a lie.

Not at all.

Because they hadn't had sex.

And what they had had, Ariel certainly didn't need to know about.

"Okay." She let her arms fall from her chest and shrugged her shoulders. "I still wish you guys would just get your shit together."

And with that she pushed herself up from her seat and headed toward her room down the hall, the door shutting behind her softly.

\--

The teen had stayed locked away in her room the rest of the day and Ethan had just shrugged his shoulders with a sigh.

He told her to let her be, to let her calm down and get herself together, that they'd deal with it all later.

She had wanted to go get the girl and hash it out right then and there.

But before she knew it Ethan was dragging her to bed and climbing on top of her and letting his lips dance over hers.

She wondered just how far he would take it but when she accidentally let a yawn slip as he tangled his fingers in her hair he had let out a soft chuckle before falling to the mattress beside her.

"Sleep babe." He whispered before kissing her head and tucking her against his side.

She had fallen asleep with the scent of Ethan surrounding her and the feeling of his breath warm against her cheek.

Leanne wondered if this was what heaven felt like.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *I don’t know why I do this to our babies, but...

Three days later she was standing at the nurses station going over a patient file when her phone buzzed in her pocket. 

She hesitated checking it, especially when she knew exactly who it was from.

Letting out a sigh she pulled the object up and smiled.

Ethan's name stared back at her and even though she knew it would be him she was still happy to see it was him.

_Meet me in the south east stairwell._ That was all it said.

Not a time.

Not a reason.

Just one simple sentence that she knew would only get her in trouble.

She took a deep breath before typing back.

_Be there in ten._

She knew she shouldn't meet him.

She knew it would only lead to another unfinished and possibly even interrupted makeout session.

But she missed him and she needed him and consequences be damned at this point.

\--

When she arrived at the south east stairwell nine minutes later Ethan was leaning back against the wall, an envelope in his hands and a soft look in his eyes.

"Hi." He whispered as he pushed himself upward.

"Hi." She whispered back, closing the stairwell door behind her.

"Thanks for coming." She could tell something was wrong and she felt herself holding her breath as she tried not to let her mind go to the worst case scenario.

"Yes, well, I knew you'd just hunt me down if I didn't." She tried to lighten the mood but all Ethan did was sigh.

"Here." He shoved the envelope in his hands toward her and she hesitated before taking it.

"What's this?" She turned it over and read the return address and felt her heart stop in her chest.

'United States Army' was printed at the top of the white, rectangular object and she all of a sudden felt like she was going to vomit.

"It's not what you think." He whispered, his right hand reaching out to take the envelope back.

He opened it quickly, pulling out the folded up piece of paper before turning it over and handing it to her.

"You're leaving?" She felt like her whole world stop.

They might not have been anything.

They might not ever be anything.

But what they had shared Thursday had been special and she knew she couldn't go back now.

"Six weeks." He shrugged his shoulders like it was the most casual thing in the world. "To Hawaii."

"Hawaii?!" In reality, it could've been much worse, but still, the thought of an ocean between them made her heart hurt.

"Tripler Army Hospital." He shoved his hands in his pockets and smiled softly. "It's near Pearl Harbor."

"Why?" Not that it was any of her business.

Ethan never talked about his time in the Army and frankly she knew better than to ask.

"Training." He sounded unsure and she guessed he knew about as much as she did. "But there's good news."

He was smiling, a real, genuine smile, and it made her heart start to race.

"There can't possibly be good news in all of this." She whispered. "You'll be gone for six weeks."

They had finally made some progress and now he was going to be hundreds of miles away.

She guessed it was either back to sexting or no communication at all.

"You and Ariel can come with me." He said softly as he stepped toward her, his hands reaching out for her hips. "They're putting me up in a little house, there's plenty of room."

"Ethan..." The idea sounded extremely inviting.

She'd always wanted to go to Hawaii.

She'd always wanted to share a home with Ethan and Ariel.

But she couldn't possibly just up and leave her life in LA behind for six weeks.

"Ariel will be done with school by the time I leave, you have 17 weeks of vacation time, Jesse can keep an eye on your house." He dropped his head to hers and sighed softly. "There's no reason not too."

"You've actually thought about this?" She knew it shouldn't surprise her, and yet, she couldn't convince herself that he cared that much.

"Haven't stopped." He whispered, his lips hovering over hers as he backed her against her the wall behind them.

"How long have you known?" She didn't want to know the answer to that question because if he had been hiding it from them that would hurt even more.

"They asked me about a few months ago." He pressed a kiss to her lips before pulling back and continuing. "I told them 'no' but I knew it was a possibility that they'd come back and not give me a choice."

"I... I don't know what to say." She was having a hard time breathing and her head was spinning.

This couldn't be happening.

They couldn't be taking him from her when she just got him.

"Come with me, you and Ariel." He pressed a kiss to her chin as he let out a soft breath. "Maybe we'll like it so much that we stay."

The fact that he would even mention staying in Hawaii sent a wave of pain through her body.

Los Angeles was her home.

Angels was her home.

"I can't leave Angels." She whispered.

"Why not?" She knew that he already knew the answer to that question, and yet, he was still asking it.

"My life is here." She gently pushed him backward, stepping out of his embrace as she tried to catch her breath. "This is my home. This is Ariel's home."

"I..." He let out a breath and she saw the life practically leave his body. "Don't worry about it then."

He turned on his heel to leave and she choked back a sob.

"Stop Ethan." She didn't want him to leave her like this.

Not on these terms.

"What do you want Lea?" No one had called her that since John had died and she felt her heart seize up in her chest. "Either you wanna go or you don't. End of story."

"I... this is a big decision to make Ethan." Her hands were shaking as she rubbed at her face. "I don't wanna make a decision like this without seriously thinking about it. Six weeks is a long time, Ethan. I can't just leave like that."

"Why not?" He looked so defeated and it broke her heart. "Do something spontaneous for once. Something wild and uncalled for and out there. Do something that makes you happy for once. Don't think about it, don't analyze, just do it."

"But..." She never did things in her personal life without thinking them through 100%.

In the ER she was a cowboy, reckless and wild and without abandon.

But in her personal life, she was the opposite.

She thought everything through and made plan after plan and analyzed everything to the ninth degree.

She hadn't been that way as a child, or even a teen, but John's OCD had rubbed off on her and over the course of their marriage she had become a whole new person.

John thought it was for the better.

Jesse thought he was ruining her.

And she had just done her best not to lose control of what little bit of peace she had left.

"I don't wanna go six weeks without you. Or Ariel." She knew it would break the teen of Ethan left her like that. "At least let her stay with me a bit if you don't wanna come too."

The idea of putting her teenage daughter on a plane by herself scared the crap out of her.

"I need a few days to think about things." She whispered, her arms wrapping around herself as she sniffled.

This shouldn't be breaking her the way it was, but she found that her heart was far more attached to Ethan than she originally thought.

"Fine." He pulled away from her once more and stormed out the door with a huff, the heavy metal object slamming shut behind him as he went.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Sorry it’s taken so long to update! I’ve been transitioning into a new position at work. Also, nine month olds are a lot of work! I hope you guys enjoy though!

Two weeks went by without so much as a peep from Ethan.

He would come and pick up Ariel at the arranged time.

He would work diligently in Center Stage day in and day out.

He would post cryptic quotes to Instagram like he was some love scorned twelve year old.

But he wouldn't actually talk to her.

And it was slowly breaking her in two.

\--

Exactly three weeks after their argument in the stairwell Ethan lingered a little longer than normal after dropping Ariel off and she knew something was up.

But she waited until the teen was in the shower before she approached him.

And when she did, what he had to say blew her mind.

"I really want you to come to Hawaii with me. You and Ariel. I..." He took a deep breath before scrubbing his hands over his face. "I love you. I love you and I love Ariel and I want our family to be together."

She felt her head start to spin at his confession.

She imagined him saying a lot of things to her over the years, but that was certainly not one of them.

"You what?" She stumbled over her words as she fell back against the kitchen counter.

"I. Love. You." He moved toward her then, slowly but with a sense of urgency in his eyes. "I love you. More than I've ever loved anyone. I know it's not what you expected to hear. I know it's random and out there and totally unwarranted. But I haven't been able to stop thinking about it. I don't wanna be without you in Hawaii. I don't ever wanna be without you."

"I... I..." She didn't know what to say so she just stood there as she watched him approach her.

He stopped right in front of her, his hands going out to cup her cheeks as he leaned down.

And then the next thing she knew he was pressing a searing kiss to her lips, his tongue tracing her mouth almost instantly.

She felt her breath hitch in her chest and she gripped at him roughly, her fingers tangling in his hair as she fought to gain some sort of control.

But Ethan wasn't allowing it.

And instead he lifted her up in one swift motion, setting her on the counter in front of him, his right hand gripping at her hip roughly as he dragged his left hand through her hair.

"Stop Ethan." She didn't want him to stop. 

God she didn't want him to stop.

She wanted him to keep going.

She wanted him to drive her over the edge and bring her back down and then repeat all night long.

She didn't want to ever know what it felt like to not have his hands on her body.

"No." He pressed his lips against hers as he settled himself between her legs, his hands falling to her thighs as he ran his tongue over hers.

She didn't remember letting him in like that, but apparently her body was acting on its own accord now.

But she couldn't let it.

She wouldn't let it.

They couldn't do this.

So she gently pushed him back once more, her hands settling on his shoulders as she let out a breath.

"Ethan, please." She needed him to stop before they took a step they couldn't come back from.

"Okay." He took a breath before leaning in and pressing his forehead against hers. "I'm sorry."

She closed her eyes at his apology.

She knew that he didn't mean anything by it.

That he was just being a man.

A very good looking, very talented, very, very wonderful man.

"I just..." Processing everything that he had just told her was taking way longer than it should have.

And having his hands roaming over her body wasn't helping.

"It's okay." He whispered, his lips pressing to her forehead softly as he let out a breath.

He stepped back from her some them, putting some space between them as he leaned against the counter across from her.

She all of a sudden very empty and alone.

"What you said..." Her brain kept replaying those three little words over and over and over again and her heart was racing with every time.

"I meant it." He looked up and locked his eyes with hers. "I meant every word of it. I love you. I love you more than you'll ever know."

She swallowed as she closed her eyes and shook her head.

There was no way he felt that way about her.

Not after everything they had been through together.

"No..." She didn't know how to believe him.

No one had loved her in over six years.

And while she loved John and he loved her, she had fallen out of love with him years before she lost him.

It didn't make his death hurt any less, but it had been much easier getting over his loss than that of her children.

"Yes." He started walking back toward her, his hands settling themselves on her hips once more as he dropped his forehead back to hers. "I love you."

His whispered confession caused an influx of tears to appear in her eyes and she felt like a fool.

"Come to Hawaii with me, please." He sounded so soft and safe and she knew that he was home and love and everything about him was what she so desperately needed and everything that she had wanted for so long.

"Are you sure?" She knew he wasn't one to change his mind about things like this.

No, once Ethan's heart was in something that was it.

He was hooked and he wasn't backing down, no matter what it might cost.

"I've never been more sure of anything." His reply was soft as he smiled back at her, his fingers on one hand running under the material of her shirt as the other hand reached up to cup her face. "I don't wanna go six weeks without you and the kid. You're my family and I'm yours and we should be together."

She felt the tears flowing down her face like a waterfall and she let out a breath as she leaned forward and wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging him close as she tried to calm herself down.

And Ethan, being ever the gentleman, simply pulled her into his arms and pressed kisses against her neck as he rubbed her back slowly.

If she could pick a moment to never forget, this was definitely one of them.

"What happens if we come with you?" She waited a few minutes before asking that question, and she whispered the words as her brain tried to process what she had just asked.

"We move into a really nice house near the beach for six weeks." He whispered back. "We get to fall asleep in the same bed every night and wake up beside each other every morning."

She let out a sigh as she pulled back and eyed him through the remaining tears.

"Okay." She couldn't believe she was agreeing to move across an ocean with him.

But her heart couldn't fathom being without him at this point and she knew that if she didn't go it would destroy whatever chances they had of having a decent relationship from here on out.

"Really?" He looked so excited that she couldn't stand it.

The thought of being with them must have really been something he wanted.

"On one condition," She held up a finger at him and smiled. "I have to be the one to tell Jesse, alone."

She knew the nurse wouldn't be able to handle her being gone like that.

Not for six weeks.

Not to someplace that he couldn't easily get to her.

And the fact that she was going with Ethan would do the other man in. 

"Deal." He whispered before leaning in and capturing her lips in a searing kiss. "I love you."

He mouthed the words against her cheek as he kissed his way downward, nipping at her shoulder blade as he pushed at her shirt ever so roughly.

She couldn't respond back with those words, not yet, not after everything, so she simply moaned as his thumb brushed upward and just below her right breast.

And then the next thing she knew he was pulling her shirt over her head before dropping his head down to her breasts.

"Ethan..." She knew the teen could very well walk in at any minute and they really didn't need a repeat of last time.

"Shhh." He smiled up at her as he started to undo the buckle on her belt, pulling it loose before undoing the button of her jeans.

She wanted to tell him to stop.

She needed to tell him to stop.

They couldn't do this, not here, not now.

But she was unable to get the words out because then he was pulling her toward the edge of the counter and pushing her jeans to the floor with a sigh.

"What about Ariel?" She huffed out as her hands tangled in his hair, his lips hot against the inside of her thigh.

"Maybe she'll learn to stay in her own damn room." He growled out before biting her thigh gently, pressing a kiss against the red mark immediately after.

"Ethan you can't..." But she didn't finish getting the words out.

Instead she let out a rather unlady like moan as Ethan dragged his teeth over her hip, tugging on her underwear as he went.

Ethan let out a chuckle as she arched her back.

And then she felt the crack of her head against the cabinet behind her.

"Fuck!" She didn't mean to cuss like that but that hit was hard and now she was seeing stars.

"You okay?" He jumped up and eyed her gently, his hand going out to cup her head as he threaded his hands through her hair, turning her head slightly. "Are you bleeding?"

She shook her head and instantly regretted it.

She didn't think she had hit her head that hard, but dammit was she feeling it right now.

"Hurts." She whispered.

She wasn't a sure if was her pride that was hurt more or her head.

But either way, she was feeling some kind of way about what happened.

"Mom?!" She heard Ariel's voice before she saw her and she felt her heart stop as the teen came to a crashing halt at the entryway to the kitchen. "Oh God! Not again!"

Ethan let out a laugh and Leanne shot him a look that she hoped would shut him up.

"You two are disgusting!" She watched as the teen threw a hand over her eyes and sulked back up the stairs.

"Told you." She hissed out, pushing Ethan away from her with a growl.

"Yeah." He huffed. "We should've gone to my place."

She reached out and smacked his arm, hard, and she watched as he winced before rubbing the spot.

"Go home Ethan." She whispered, hopping down off the counter and pulling her pants and t-shirt back on quickly.

"You have a head injury." He stepped forward then, reaching out for her head as he turned her to the side. "You shouldn't be alone."

"I'm fine." She really just wanted him to go home so that she could compose herself. "And I'm not alone, Ariel's here."

"That girl's not leaving her room for the rest of the night." He smirked as he turned her back around, backing her up against the counter once more. "Trust me."

She wanted to respond but then his lips were on hers once more and all hope of any conversation went right out the window.

\--

They had made out against the kitchen counter for another twenty minutes before Ethan's phone had rung and interrupted them.

He had mumbled an apology against her lips before heading out the door, another long shift ahead of him.

She had watched him leave and her whole body was full of all kinds of regret.

As much as she didn't want Ethan to go any further she was now desperate for the feeling of his hands on her body once more.

Instead, she had taken a cold shower before making her way down the hall to check on Ariel.

"Honey, it's mom." She knocked softly, opening the door when the girl mumbled out a 'come in'. "You okay?"

The girl shrugged before turning back to the book in her hands, her eyes never leaving the page in front of her.

"I'm sorry about earlier." She felt horrible that the girl kept walking in on them in such inappropriate situations. "I tried to tell your dad to stop."

"He doesn't listen very well." The teen whispered, shifting her eyes toward her with a small smile.

"No, he does not." If there was anyone who was aware of Ethan's inability to listen to and follow directions it was her.

"Is he still here?" She knew the girl missed the man when he wasn't around and the fact that they would soon be together all the time was making her heart incredibly happy.

"He got called into work." It was unfortunate for him, but probably best for them all.

"Oh, okay." She turned back to her book and Leanne let out a sigh.

"Do you need anything?" She didn't know what the teen could need at this hour of the night but she wanted her to know that she would get it for her.

"No." Ariel closed the book and turned toward her, a serious look on her face as she studied her. "Did you know he's going to Hawaii for six weeks?"

"Yes." She didn't know if Ethan had said anything to the girl so she refrained from bringing it up first. "Did he talk to you about it?"

"He said he wanted us to go with him." She was shocked that he had mentioned that part to the teen. "But he was afraid you'd say 'no' so he didn't know if he would bring it up or not."

"Well he brought it up." She whispered as she sat down in the girl's desk chair and sighed.

"And...?" The anticipation in the girl's eyes made her glad that she had finally said 'yes' to Ethan's pleas.

"We're gonna go." Ariel's smile was worth it all and she couldn't believe she had ever wanted to say 'no'.

"Thank you!" The girl jumped up out of her bed and threw her arms around her with a smile. "Thank you so much mom."

She knew the girl had always wanted to travel.

And she knew that Hawaii was on the top of her list.

So the fact that she got to go with her two favorite people was probably more excitement than she could stand.

"You're welcome sweetie." She said softly, wrapping her arms around the teen tightly.

She hoped that nothing would come in the way of them being able to make this trip together.

Because now, more than ever, she was super excited for it.


	13. Chapter 13

A week later she found Ethan on the couch in her office, half asleep and half staring at his phone.

He looked exhausted and she knew that his 64 hour shift was starting to catch up to him.

She didn't understand why he didn't just go home and sleep.

"You okay?" She asked her question softly as she shut the door behind her and made her way toward her desk.

"Hmmm." He didn't look up at her presence and she let out a sigh as she sank down into her chair.

"What's up Ethan?" She had known something was bothering him the past few days but he wouldn't say what it was.

"Hmmm?" He shifted his gaze toward her this time but she could see the way his eyes didn't quite meet hers.

So she let out a sigh and stood from her chair, moving toward the couch and giving him a once over.

He was dressed in his normal clothes, meaning he had changed at some point in the last hour and had more than likely been planning to head home.

"What's going on with you?" She took his phone from his hands and moved to sit beside him on the couch.

But apparently he had other plans because in one swift motion he pulled her into his arms and then successfully flipped them over, leaving her on her back and out of breath below him.

"Ethan James!" She most definitely hadn't expected that move from him and now that her heart was racing she had completely forgotten where this conversation was supposed to go.

"Hi." He whispered as he pressed his lips against hers.

"Hi." She whispered back, her hands finding their way into his hair as he dropped his head to her neck.

"I've missed you." He nipped at the exposed skin and she let out a whimper as his left hand pushed its way under her shirt and up to her breast.

"I've missed you too." She barely got the words out as he moved his lips back to hers, his hand pushing her bra aside as he ran a thumb along her nipple.

"We can't do this here." She mouthed against his lips.

"Shhh." She knew it was a losing battle but she hadn't locked the door and she lost certainly didn't need Jesse or one of the residents walking in on them.

"Ethan..." She moaned as he moved his hand to her other breast, his right hand dipping below the waist band of her scrubs, rubbing over panties as his huffed against her cheek.

"Shhhh." He gave her a gentle, but determined look and she let out a sigh.

She didn't bother to reply back because the next thing she knew his fingers were under her underwear and running over her core and she couldn't form a single coherent thought.

It had been a while since he had touched her that way and she was putty in his hands as he slid a finger into her.

He pressed a kiss against her cheek as he worked his fingers against her.

She let out a moan as she arched her back slightly, her eyes closing as Ethan started kissing along her neck.

"Ethan..." She let his name escape with a whimper as she clawed at his shirt, her hands moving under the material as she dragged her nails over his skin.

"Marry me?" The words hit her like a ton of bricks and she felt her heart stop in her chest.

"What?!" She tried desperately to push him away, but he was far to invested in what was happening between her legs.

"Marry me?" He lifted his eyes and gave her a soft smile and she felt her whole world come to crashing halt as she tried to process what he was saying.

"I..." She took a deep breath as he relaxed his fingers against her folds ever so slightly. "Why? I... I..."

She couldn't form words and she didn't know if it was because he had almost brought her over the edge or because he had just proposed to her, twice.

He didn't say anything though and instead he nuzzled his nose against hers as he brought her over the edge.

She let out a whimper as she arched her back one last time and then she sank back against the material of the couch with a sigh.

"Good?" He reached up with his left hand and caressed her cheek gently as his eyes settled on hers.

She got ready to respond when the door to her office opened and she held her breath as she waited for the inevitable howl of laughter from Jesse or sigh of disgust from Mario.

"Mom..." But instead, it was Ariel's voice that carried through the quiet office and Leanne closed her eyes as Ethan dropped his head to her shoulder. "Oh for fuck's sake, not again!!"

"Ariel!" She shouted after the girl but the door slammed shut behind her before she could get her attention.

Ethan let out a chuckle against her shoulder and she slapped him on the back of the head as she did her best to shove him off.

"I think you should go." She wanted him to stay and do naughty, naughty things to her.

But they were in her office, in a very crowded hospital, in the middle of the week.

They were bound to get walked in on more than just once.

"Okay." He pressed a kiss to her neck and then one to her cheek and one to her lips before removing his hands from inside her underwear. "I'll come over tonight after you get off."

And before she could tell him that wasn't a good idea he was sneaking out the door with a smirk on his face.

"Jerk." She muttered after him, closing her eyes once more as she leaned back against the arm of the couch with a sigh.

She couldn't believe that Ariel had walked in on them, again, and this time, they were doing so much more than just making out.


	14. Chapter 14

That night Ethan had kept his promise and he let himself into her place while she was in the middle of making dinner.

Ariel had been seated at the kitchen table drawing when he entered the space and Leanne watched the teen disappear down the hall with him without a word.

They both returned a few minutes later and Leanne eyed them both suspiciously as she placed the enchiladas in the oven and closed the door.

"What's going on with you two?" She asked as she turned to face them.

"We need to talk." Ethan stuffed his hands into the pockets of his jogging pants as he sighed.

"Yes, yes we do." She desperately needed to find out what had prompted his proposal earlier in her office.

"I'll... go upstairs." Ariel took off up the stairs at a jog, a knowing smile on her face and Leanne gave Ethan a look that she hoped said he needed to get himself talking, and soon.

"I got a call from my CO." He whispered.

"And...?" That couldn't mean anything good and she felt her heart start to race in her chest.

"There's a little problem with you and Ariel coming to Hawaii with me." She let out a breath as she felt her shoulders sink down.

"What's that?" She knew it was too good to be true.

She knew their dream of being together would be crushed somehow.

"We have to be married..." He said softly, a small smile on his face as he ran a hand through his hair. "We can live together as long as we're married."

"We... I..." She didn't know what to say but now his proposal from earlier made perfect sense. "Why?"

"I don't know." He shrugged his shoulders before moving toward her slowly. "Army policy."

"But..." She didn't want to hear that.

She wanted to go to Hawaii with him.

She wanted to live in that little house by the ocean with him and Ariel.

She wanted six weeks of vacation in paradise with her best friends.

"Is that why you proposed earlier?" She wondered if he really meant it now or if he just did it so that they could go with him.

"Yes." He stopped in his tracks and eyed her with a small smile. "And no."

"Well which is it?" She was frustrated and she hated it.

This shouldn't be hurting her so bad.

"I want you two to come with me and I know that the only way you can do that is if we're married." He said softly, reaching out for her hands as he spoke. "But I do love you and I love Ariel and I'd love to make this a more permanent thing."

She let out a sigh as she closed her eyes and leaned back against the counter.

"We can't get married." She whispered.

It broke her heart to tell him that because she knew it meant they couldn't go with him.

"Why not?" She let out another sigh as she felt a wave of tears hit her.

"Because Ethan." She was shaking as his hands rubbed and down her arms gently. "We can't."

"I love you." He whispered as his forehead fell to hers. "Please Leanne. I want you two with me. I want us to finally be a family."

"We are a family Ethan." She knew exactly what he meant though and she wanted it too.

A house together.

A life together.

Watching their daughter grow up together.

Growing old together themselves.

It was something that she and John never got.

And now that the opportunity was presenting itself once more she was having a very hard time turning down the idea.

She knew it was wrong.

They had only known each other four and a half years.

They had never even officially dated.

But he loved her and she knew deep down that she loved him.

And while Ariel may not have been a combined product of the two of them genetically, they had spent the past 4 years raising her as theirs.

So whether she wanted to admit it out loud or not, these were her people and this was her home and if she walked away from an opportunity to be with them for the rest of her life she was crazy.

"What will we tell people?" She couldn't believe she was even contemplating something like this.

It was crazy and absurd, spontaneous and wild, out of the box and extreme and over the top.

It was everything she had never claimed to be and yet everything that Ethan prided himself on.

"Is that your way of saying 'yes'?" He brushed her loose curls behind her ear and offered her the softest smile she had ever seen.

"That's my way of saying that we can talk about it." She whispered back as she let her hands fall to his chest.

"We leave in three weeks." He squeezed her biceps tightly before kissing her nose. "We have to make a decision soon."

"Does Ariel know?" She was curious if the girl had been made aware of the dilemma they now faced.

"Yes." He cupped her cheek gently with one hand while the other reached down and took a hold of her left hand. "She's fully on board."

"Of course she is." She mumbled, her eyes rolling as she imaged just how excited the teen must be at the thought of her parents finally getting married.

“Please Leanne.” He was almost full on begging at this point and she felt bad.

She knew that he wanted this for all the right reasons.

“Jesse’s gonna kill me.” She whispered before she leaned in and kissed him softly.

“No he won’t.” There was a knowing look in Ethan’s eyes and that’s when it hit her.

Jesse had been avoiding her all day.

Now she knew why.

“He knows doesn’t he?” She let her hands move to Ethan’s shoulders as she raised an eyebrow at him.

“Do you really think I’m stupid enough to ask you to marry me without asking his permission first?” He smirked at her as he reached downward and pulled something out of his pocket.

“You’ve gotta be fucking kidding me.” She mumbled out as she watched a black, velvet box appear in front of her eyes.

“Not kidding.” He whispered the words as he opened the box up to reveal a simple, antique looking ring. “Leanne…”

“Yes Ethan?” She eyed the ring with wide eyes, taking in its rose gold color and simple twisted band, the shiniest diamond she’d ever seen staring back at her.

“Will you please marry me?” The question was soft but his eyes were full of love and the smile on his lips said it all.

He meant it, probably more than he had ever meant anything in his entire life.

“Yes Ethan.” She replied with a smile as she ran her fingers through his hair. “I’ll marry you.”

He didn’t reply with words and instead he crashed his lips to hers as he pulled her against him tightly.

When they finally broke for air he had the biggest smile on his face and tears running down his cheeks and she felt her heart start to become whole again.

“It was my mom’s ring.” He pulled the object from the box slowly, holding it up so she could examine it further. “It’s one of the few things I have left of her.”

“Ethan…” She felt bad taking it from him when it clearly meant so much.

“She would’ve loved you.” He whispered as he pulled her left hand up, sliding the ring onto the appropriate finger with a smile. “She would’ve wanted you to have it.”

Looking down at the shiny new piece of jewelry on her finger she couldn’t help but let out a sigh.

“It’s perfect.” She couldn’t believe what had just happened and how far they had come in a few short minutes.

“I love you.” She felt her heart seize up at those words.

She had just gotten engaged to a man and yet she couldn’t tell him that she loved him back.

“I know it might take time before you can say it back.” He leaned in and pressed a kiss against her nose before letting his forehead fall back against hers. “And that’s okay. I just want you to know that you can take your time. I’m not rushing that. And if it wasn’t a matter of you two moving with me, I wouldn’t be putting such a rush on this.”

“I know.” And she did know.

Because that wasn’t Ethan.

Even though he might have been spontaneous in the ER, he was much more planned out and thoughtful when it came to her and Ariel.

They stood that way for a few minutes, just staring at each other, exchanging a kiss here and there, his right hand holding her left one tightly as he held her face in his left hand.

“Can I come downstairs now?!” Ariel’s voice broke through the silence and Leanne let out a chuckle as she dropped her head to Ethan’s chest. “Or are you two having sex on the counter again?!”

Ethan busted out in a full blown laugh, doubling over as he gently backed away from her and she couldn’t help but smile.

“Yes Angel,” Ethan called up to her, “you can come down now.”

Leanne heard the teen’s footsteps on the stairs and then on the hardwood floor of the hallway and she smiled at the girl as she appeared in the doorway.

“Sooo…?” The smirk on the girl’s face said it all.

She knew damn well what her father was up to and she was waiting not so patiently for a result.

“We’re getting married.” Leanne held up her left hand, the shiny new diamond on her finger glistening in the early afternoon sun.

“It’s about damn time.” Ariel said softly as she moved closer, pulling her mother’s hand into hers so that she could inspect the new jewelry.

“You’re right Angel,” Ethan said softly as he smiled at both girls, “it is about damn time.”

Leanne let out a soft chuckle as she wrapped her arms around his neck tightly, smiling as he placed a kiss on her head and Ariel beamed back at her over the man’s shoulder.

She would be lying to herself if she didn’t agree with them both.

It has been a long road and she was crazy to think that it would end any other way for them.

Because she had been hooked on him since he first walked into Center Stage four and a half years ago.

And she hadn’t dared look back since.


End file.
